Do You Believe
by Infinite Rhapsody
Summary: Squirrelflight must make a choice about Brambleclaw that will last the rest of her life. Hee hee! Did I sound like the back of a book? TNP, PoT, FQ spoilers. BramblexSquirrel, AshxSquirrel.


**Do You Believe**

**Summary: Squirrelflight must make a choice about Brambleclaw that will last the rest of her life. Hee hee! Did I sound like the back of a book? TNP, PoT, FQ spoilers. BramblexSquirrel, AshxSquirrel.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors nor _Do You Believe_ by…I think…Cher. Yeah, Cher.**

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Moonlight shimmered on the forest lake, turning the still waters to liquid silver. A flame-colored she-cat stared sadly down at the water, her reflection staring up at her, boring its misery-filled green eyes into her fur. An image of an ash-gray warrior formed like mist in her mind. She pushed it aside to cling to her sense of a strong tabby warrior with liquid amber eyes. Squirrelflight put her head on her paws, wanting to sleep forever. Brambleclaw, the tabby she had loved since she was an apprentice, had become terribly bossy and indifferent when he had been appointed deputy—but not only that, he had been plotting with his half-brother, Hawkfrost, to take down the leaders of the forest. She knew it was so.

_No matter how hard I try  
You keep pushing me aside  
And I can't break through_

_There's no talking to you  
It's so sad that you're leaving  
It takes time to believe it  
But after all said and done  
You're gonna be the lonely one, ooh_

She focused on Ashfur, the blue-eyed, gray-furred warrior that had loved her from the start. As Squirrelflight and Ashfur stayed together always for three moons, sharing tongues and joking, she could see Brambleclaw's amber eyes, so like his traitorous father's, fill with jealousy whenever he spoke to Ashfur. Squirrelflight loved Ashfur, but he wasn't as bold and brave as the tabby deputy. She sometimes longed for Brambleclaw's energy and courage…Ashfur just didn't have as much.

_Do you believe in love after love?  
I can feel something inside me say  
I really don't think you're strong enough, no  
Do you believe in love after love?  
I can feel something inside me say  
I really don't think you're strong enough, no_

Brambleclaw wanted Squirrelflight back. His training with Tigerstar by night and his deputy duties by day left him exhausted, too tired to talk. He needed Squirrelflight's energy and love…he needed her by his side. But what was he supposed to think of her mooning over that idiot Ashfur? What if…what if she never spoke to him again? What if the one shining star in his life walked out of it?

_What am I supposed to do  
Sit around and wait for you  
Well I can't do that  
And there's no turning back  
I need time to move on  
I need love to feel strong  
Cause I've had time to think it through  
And maybe I'm too good for you, ooh_

Ashfur, warrior of ThunderClan, was ecstatic. The cat he had loved for most of his life, Squirrelflight, was finally paying attention to him. He loved every bit of her, from her flame-colored tail to her bright green eyes. The way she always nodded as he spoke to her, her eyes shining in enthusiasm, always touched his heart. She was honorable, steadfast, and brave, the ideal warrior. Unlike that bossy furball Brambleclaw, however, he loved her for who she was, not what she meant to the Clan. What was more, Squirrelflight loved him back, he was sure of it.

_Do you believe in life after love?  
I can feel something inside me say  
I really don't think you're strong enough, no  
Do you believe in life after love?  
I can feel something inside me say  
I really don't think you're strong enough, no_

Squirrelflight was heartbroken. She loved Brambleclaw, but he cared not for her. She loved Ashfur, but he didn't have that special…something. Why couldn't she bring herself to love Ashfur with all her heart? She didn't need Brambleclaw anymore. She unsheathed her claws, sealing her resolve. She _did not _need Brambleclaw anymore.

_But I know that I'll get through this  
Cause I know that I am strong  
I don't need you anymore, I don't need you anymore  
I don't need you anymore, no I don't need you anymore_

Over the next moon, Brambleclaw behaved as nicely as her could to Squirrelflight, trying to win her back. It seemed like she paid no attention, only acknowledged him with a glance of her pine-green eyes or a nod of her ginger head as they passed. He wanted to lick her between the ears each time they passed, to purr together as they shared tongues. But it was not to be, no, it was just a moonlight dream.

_Do you believe in love after love?  
I can feel something inside me say  
I really don't think you're strong enough, no  
Do you believe in love after love?  
I can feel something inside me say  
I really don't think you're strong enough, no_

Squirrelflight twitched restlessly as she dreamed. _She and Brambleclaw were walking together across the sky with their tails twined together. As they walked on into the sunset, she noticed they were leaving starry pawprints behind. They started separately, but soon the two paths were indiscernible. Their futures were connected in some way she didn't understand—or did she?_ Squirrelflight woke with a start. She had received a message from StarClan, one of great importance. She knew what it meant…but she had to tell Ashfur their relationship wouldn't work out. She padded out of the den, beckoning to the gray warrior to follow her. She stopped behind the nursery.

"Ashfur, there's something I have to tell you," she meowed.

"What?" asked Ashfur, his blue eyes full of love.

"I—I had a dream from StarClan," Squirrelflight began. Ashfur's eyes widened as she continued. "I dreamed…I learned that Brambleclaw's future is connected to mine, in a very big way. The dream showed me that our relationship won't work out. I love you, Ashfur, I really do, but I must think of the Clan, too."

The ash-colored warrior flinched as if she had clawed him. His features twisted into a sneer. "I see. You want to be with that loser Brambleclaw for _the good of the Clan_—that doesn't matter! I love you, Squirrelflight! I've loved you since you were an apprentice. Why won't you stay with me?"

Squirrelflight's face twisted in pain. "I'm sorry, Ashfur."

Squirrelflight struggled with her emotions for a moment, then repeated, "I'm sorry, Ashfur. I wish this would have worked out."

And then she walked away.

_Do you believe in life after love?  
I can feel something inside me say  
I really don't think you're strong enough, no  
Do you believe in life after love?  
I can feel something inside me say  
I really don't think you're strong enough, no…_

Brambleclaw was happy, delirious, elated—his love, Squirrelflight, had come back to him. Tiger and Fire were together again, together in love. Brambleclaw's heart leaped as he saw Squirrelflight coming to share fresh-kill with him. Squirrelflight was elated as she sat down with Brambleclaw. Ashfur's broken heart seemed to mend as Whitewing shared tongues with him. **(A/N: Yeah, I know this doesn't really happen, but...I felt sorry for him.)**

And all was well in ThunderClan.

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**I hope you liked it! Please review!**


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